SEMI HOMEMADE

I’ve loved entertaining since I first moved away from home.  My childhood home was tiny and filled with six children and two loving parents, but no room to entertain much.  My Mom was a fabulous cook and experimented with all kinds of interesting recipes … homemade egg rolls to go with chicken chow mein, homemade whoopee pies and anything and everything that caught her interest.  She passed this passion down to all six of us.  The boys are the main cook in their household.

I quickly volunteered for holiday family get togethers until my siblings enjoyed larger homes.  Cooking was my hobby and table settings my art form.  A group of four couples started a gourmet cooking club that lasted ten years.  The host would pick the theme and would assign courses (and a few times, would assign recipes)  Each course with an accompanying adult beverage.

Mr. Ralph was Prez of a small firm and would always prefer to host visitors and new employees at our home.  Most other countries entertain at restaurants so we were flattering them by opening our home.  I still have international friends because of this!

Gone are the days when I would make the pralines for a homemade cheesecake.  Now I’m in my “semi homemade” style.  There was a Food Network show with Sandra Lee with this title.  She would use fresh ingredients with selected store bought items and her flair for decorating the table.  Sometimes all you have to do is put fresh herbs on things and it just brings the whole meal up a notch.

Through the years .... 

The cooking club.

Christmas

Our view from the hammock

We had 50+ guests ... and it was 104 degrees

The condo .. bar height table

We continued entertaining while living in Maui for three years.  I could do a whole blog just on the Maui home!  I think I will.  It took me soooo many hours to find photos because I get so side tracked going down Memory Lane.